Rosemary Turkey Meatballs with Honey are the perfect, most delectable, bite-sized hors d'oeuvre for a cocktail party. They're also fun to serve as a main course for dinner -- they can be served over mashed potatoes or pasta, with all sorts of tasty sides.
Good things come in small packages.
Maybe that's why I love small plates and little bites -- because yes, even with food, good things come in small packages.
Every bite of these Rosemary Turkey Meatballs has a touch of honey and a ton of flavor. They are over-the-top delicious, and I bet you won't be able to stop at just a few.
These are fun for any holiday dinner, and the touch of honey makes them a popular Rosh Hashanah dish.
Some Ingredient Notes
- ground turkey - If possible, a mix of light and dark meat is best.
- shallots - Shallots are mild and subtly sweet. Substitution: red onion.
- fresh rosemary - A little rosemary goes a long way. This recipe has a little more than a tablespoon mixed into 1-pound of turkey, and you can really taste its earthy pine-like flavor, which is balanced so perfectly with the honey. You can use dried rosemary, but you should use about a third of the amount.
- vermouth or sherry - If you don't have vermouth or sherry, you can use white wine. One that's slightly sweet is best.
- honey - If your honey is on the thick side, warm it briefly in a microwave so it's easy to mix into the other ingredients.
- breadcrumbs - I like Panko, which are breadcrumbs without the crust, though you can use any breadcrumbs you like.
How to Make Them
- Coat a large skillet with olive oil and place it over low-medium heat. Add the shallots, rosemary, and garlic. Cook just until the shallots are soft, about 4 minutes. Then add the vermouth or sherry, turn the heat to high, and reduce it completely. Mix in the honey and remove the pan from the heat. Let it cool to room temperature. (Do not wash the pan!)
- Once the shallot mixture has cooled, in a large mixing bowl, add it to the turkey along with the breadcrumbs, salt, and a bit of pepper. Use your hands to fully incorporate all of the ingredients.
- Shape the turkey into balls that are approximately 1 to 2-inches, placing them on a large plate or sheet pan as you work. (If you have a 1 ¼ to 1½-inch cookie scoop, that's perfect.)
- Drizzle more olive oil into the same pan, and place it over medium-low heat. Add the meatballs and cook for about 3 minutes, just to brown the bottoms. Then turn the meatballs over, cover the pan, and reduce the heat to low. Let them cook and steam for about 3 to 4 more minutes, just until they are cooked through.
Variations
- Gluten-free version. Just use gluten-free breadcrumbs.
- Other herbs. Sage and/or thyme would also work well in this recipe.
- Other protein. Ground chicken and ground lamb are also delicious with rosemary and honey.
Serving Suggestions
They're the perfect bite-sized hors d'oeuvre for a cocktail party.
Guests love them for part of a main course for dinner or lunch. They can be served over garlic-mashed potatoes or pasta, with all sorts of tasty sides. Here are a few more delicious ideas of what to serve with them:
I hope you love my honey rosemary turkey meatballs as much as my family and I do!
Rosemary Honey Turkey Meatballs Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- olive oil for the pan
- ½ cup finely chopped shallots
- 1 tablespoon plus ½ teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
- ½ teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon dry vermouth or sherry
- 1 pound lean ground turkey
- 2 tablespoons honey
- ¼ cup breadcrumbs
- ¾ teaspoon Kosher salt*
- freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Coat a large non-stick sauté pan with olive oil and place it over low-medium heat. Add the shallots, rosemary, and garlic. Cook just until the shallots are soft, about 4 minutes. Then add the vermouth or sherry, turn the heat to high, and reduce it completely. Mix in the honey and remove the pan from the heat. Let it cool to room temperature. (Do not wash the pan!)
- Once the shallot mixture has cooled, in a large mixing bowl, add it to the turkey along with the breadcrumbs, salt, and a bit of pepper. Use your hands to fully incorporate all of the ingredients.
- Shape the turkey into balls that are approximately 1 to 2-inches, placing them on a large plate or sheet pan as you work. (If you have a 1 ¼ to 1½-inch cookie scoop, that's prefect.)
- Drizzle more olive oil into the same pan, and place it over medium-low heat. Add the meatballs and cook for about 3 minutes, just to brown the bottoms. Then turn the meatballs over, cover the pan, and reduce the heat to low. Let them cook and steam for about 3 to 4 more minutes, just until they are cooked through.
NOTES
NUTRITION
Val
Delicious and easy recipe. I didn't make any changes, and I served it with scalloped potatoes and broccoli normandy. Thank you for this recipe!
valentina
Thanks so much for sharing, Val. I'm so happy you liked this recipe. And I bet they were so delicious with a bite of the potatoes and broccoli! Happy holiday season! 🙂 ~Valentina
David Scott Allen
Oddly, turkey is one of the very few things I do not have in my freezer right now. But I can imagine this will be just as good with ground chicken thighs. Like you, we love little bites. In fact, many nights for dinner, that’s what we do. One special thing like these meatballs, and then some cheeses, nuts, fruits… It makes it especially easy for nibbling while watching silly movies (which we all need a lot these days).
valentina
Thanks, David. I'm so with you on the silly movies!! My youngest son in really into horror films and generally darker movies and I can't take it. (Quarantine or not.) I'm always trying to get him to watch comedies or rom-coms with me. 🙂 ~Valentina
sippitysup
Of course, these are delicious. I love the way you used the skewers in out of focus forced perspective. Very creative photography. GREG
valentina
Thank you, Greg! Such a lovely comment from such an amazing photographer. 🙂 ~Valentina